Ornamental bubbling light



Aug. 29, 1950 c, w. OTIS I 2,520,691 I ORNAMENTAL BUBBLING LIGHT v Filed May :50, 1945 46 w do 54 IN VEN TOR.

34 TTOQNEY Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I a 2,520,691 I Y ORNAMENTAL BUBBLING LIGHT Carl W. Otis, Rockville Centre, N. Y. Application May 30, 1945, Serial No. 596,659

: This invention relates to ornamental, illumi nating devices.

Y More particularly, the invention concerns illuminating devices of the type wherein vapor bubbles ascend through a column of liquid.

. It is an object ofthe'invention to provide an illuminating device of the character described which comprises relatively few parts and which shall be inexpensive to manufacture. v

j Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and, in part, hereinafter pointed out.

J The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplifled. in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

, Certain novel features shown and described, but not claimed herein, are shown, described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 428,468, filed January. 28, 1942, for Ornamental Illuminating Devices, issued as United States Letters Patent No. 2,383,941 on' September i4, 1945, of which the present application is. a continuation-in-part. p

. In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown various possible forms of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side view in partial section of an illuminating device embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a similar View of a difierentform of the invention. Y Y

Referring now in detail to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. l, denotes an illuminatin'g'device embodying my invention. Said device comprises a pellucid tube 12 whose upper end is hermetically sealed off by a tapered twisted portion l4 and whose lower'end is closed-bythe upper end l6 of the envelope it of a low voltage g. volts) electric light bulb 20. The bulb envelope likewise is pellucid and desirably is formed of the same material as that of the tube IZ-glass for example, so that an autogenous joint 22 may be employed to interconnect the envelope and tube.

The envelope is evacuated and is provided with a standard filament and a conventional mount 'which connects the filament ends-to a suitable screw plug base 24. The upper end I 6 of the envelope I8, which comprises the base of the tube |2,-'may be in the form of any one of diverse shapes shown in my copending application, for example, said upper end I6 may provide a curved bottom for the tube which presents a concave surface to the interior of the tube as illustrated in Figs. 1 through 8 or said copending application.

9 Claims. (01. 240-10) 2- Alternatively, theglass envelope may be so fashioned as to close off the lower end of the' tube with a re-entrant coaxial tube such as shown in Fig. 9 of said application. This latter form is illustrated herein. Thus, as shown in the accompanying drawing the portion I8 is in the shape of an inverted pellucid glass cup having an outer diameter smaller than the inner'diameter of the tube l2. Said portion 16 extends only a short distance into the tube I2, leaving most of the tube clear. This construction provides an annular space 26 at the base of the tube [2 ad jacent the source of light andheat.

The tube l2 contains a body 28 of a bubblin liquid which, when the bulb 20 is lowermost, fills the tube almost to the top. The space 30 above the liquid is at subatmospheric pressure when the device is idle. This enables the vapor to be generated at low temperatures to permit such vapor to condense at the upper end of the tube and return to theibody of the liquid. 7

Said liquid has a low boiling point and typical of the materials which maybe employed are wood alcohol, ether and methylene chloride.

The liquid 28, tube I2 or both may be colored,

or a thin film of pellucid coloring matter may be coated on the inner or. outer surfaces of'the tube to enhance the ornamental effect. Pursuant to my invention there is furnished in the tube l2 adjacent the bulb 20 a bubbling or ebulliating means, which, if desired, may be of the type shown in my said copending application; A means of this type comprises asubstance in the form of a coherent mass 32 which will not dissolvein or be chemically or physically altered by the bubblingliquid so as to destroy its necessary physical properties. .Moreover, this mass is of such nature that the physical properties which make its use desirable will not be affected by the presence of the material of which the tube or bulb is formed. or bythe action of heat applied during the operation of the device. Additionally, the substance should be capable of being easily fissured, e. g., simply by cooling after being subjected. to a high temperature not above the melting point of the substance comprising the tube or bulb. The fissures, however, must not destroy the coherency of the mass.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the substance can be readily self-adhered to the material comprising the tube and bulb although, if it is not, suitable adhesive meansmay perform thislfunction.. Also, since the device is to be used as an illuminated decoration and since, as already seen, it has but a single source of light which also. acts The substance may be introduced into the tube in a loose, granular state, for example, as common table sugar, table salt or borax'with'waters of crystallization. At such time it is the upper end of the tube which is open, the tube: originally" being supplied with its bottom-endintegrally connected to the glass envelope of the bulb asshown. Then the tube, in the region where the powdertisi i' located, is subjected to a temperature sufliciently high to meltor-f-use the-same; Inthe case; of -sugan,.;this temperature is rather low and must be controlled. carefully-to .preven-t caramelization thereof-.- After fusingeorqmelting the tube and the substance whiche latter is now aroherent .mass zare allowed to cool off.- During, cooling, it

will be observed that a great number of fissures or. cracksare developed throughout the body of the mass which. has become self-adhered to the *Walls oi the tube L2 andto .the portion l5 of the bulk-25.: l-liowever, these. fissures are not sumicientl y developed to cause the mass toloseits coherency and allowany portion .thereof tobreak away -from the mass. Said fissures. providedirect ordindirect. communication-fromthesurfacerof theenvelope tothe body of liquid, therebyproaiding. thin, distinctint-erconnected zig-z-ag -in- .ters'titialpassageways extending through the. sub- 7 stance-from the region wh'ere'heat appliedfto the body .01, liquid so as to. form. a. portion of said liquid said region-into distinct interconneeting sheets. These Iiquid'sheets will be quickllyvaporizjed to" initiate rapidly the generation of rbiibbles as'soonasthe bulb is vaporized.

Themassfsi which is of tubular configuration, .becausfejof its disposalin the jannu'la'r'space .255,

only filljsf a. portion I of "said space adjacent the bottomoi'ithe' tube" I 2. This leavesth'e-ppper part of thespa'cenlear, as shown inthehrawma .fThe" bubbles. 3'4, which aregenerated' within the mass: .32 and which leave the mass from the surface thereof, are minute; and when said huhblesi'are"released 'into the upper portion of the annular "space 26 they will coalesce, due'to the; restrictednature of the space, and form-large lzruloble's'fiii of the desired size.

lit-will be understood that othertypes of coalescing-devices may be employed, oifthat, ifon'ly small-bubbles are desired, the 32' may fill f'substantially all of the annularspa'ce 26. Alternatively, if it is. only desired to have the mass 32' initiate bubbling; and to have the'b'ubbling function carried out by mechanical mea'nsdurthe operation of 'the device '(as shown iriFigs. l and 2 of my copending application) the 'ma-ss may-be reduced in sizeand the portion l6 of theenvelope'of the bulb fashioned into-the proper shape to function as part of orjc'ooperate with a 'nl'echariical bubbling means within the tube I 2. Such a niodifi'edforin'of the invention 'isshown in'Fi'g. 2. In this embodiment the-illuminating 4 closed by a conventional screw plug 50 which carries a mount 52 for furnishing current to an electric resistance heater 54 of such design that it will furnish sufficient heat to operate the device 40. If it is desired to have the heating means 48 supply light as Well the heater 54 should be designed to incandesce under normal operating conditions and the envelope 46 should be evacuated.

The "i fl'atfportion 44 {either lse :a :metallic insert or aglasspanel; inwhichlatter case it preferably is an integral part of the envelope 46 V and tube 42. For aesthetic reasons said panel lies. in a. plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube.

Said tube contains a body 56 of a volatile liquid, suchasmentioned earlier, which fills nearly the entire tube," the free space at the top of the tub'efbeing at sub-atmospheric pressure when the device 40 is not in use.

The ebulliating-means 58 within the tubev is mechanical in nature and comprises aninverted glass. cup-60 of slightly smaller diameter .than the tube. The rim of the cup is adapted to .seat on the flaring internal side .wall 6.2 of. the tube adjacent. the 'flat portion v44.. 7

Means may also be provided to .accelerateini: .tiation'of .ebulliation by. the. mechanical bubblin means. Such, accelerating, vmeans,,.includes va smallmass 54 of the same characteristics asthe mass. 32... Thisv small mass is disposed at the. bottom of the tube,,52'on;-the flat portion 32.,and mayrbebelow the. part of the fiaringportion 44 engaged by. thev cup 66]. The operation of..the foregoing combined starting, and ebulli'ating meanslis .fully described in my application;"SeriaI No. 428,468. g p

It willalso. be understood that :still other types of bubbling, means mayjbei used, and that "these neednot necessarily include a mass,v such 'asithe mass. 3 22,v of. the peculiar characteristics described .herein. Examples ,of, such. otherkindsbf bube made of lthe above. vinvention,,. and as. various changes might be made in the embodiments above set .forth, it is to be understo.od.}that--. all matter included; in the. within description. or shown :in the accompanying drawingsds to b32113:- terpreted as illustrative. and not. in a-limiting sense. v

Having'thus: described myi-nventiorr,

asnew and desire. to secure by Letters :Patent: 1; 'AIYOIIIaIHGDJfiII. illuminating device comprising-an=electric light bulb having, a .pellucidene velope," a hollow pellucid member integrally attached to said envelope in such -manner -that a common wall forms a portion of said envelope and the base of said member, a low boilingipnint liquid containedywithinsaidmember and. llucid," fissured, coherent mass in-xicontact with said liquid and contacting at -1 least uortions of said 1 common wall. 1 '21 An ornamental: illuminating;device-com- =pr-ising an'electric light' bulb-having a-pel-lucid envelope; achollow pellucid" itube integrally atitached to'said envelope so that aportion'oifthe wall of-said'bulbformsthe base ofsaid tube said :tube-- being" hermetically: closed-'aalow boiling .pointliquid within said'tube and-filling QJLBX? cept the upper portion of said tube and bubbling means within said tube near the portion of the wall of the bulb which forms the base of the tube, said bubbling means comprising a fissured coherent mass in contact with the liquid and the base of the tube and providing thin, distinct interconnected Zig-zag interstitial passageways extending through the mass from the base of the tube to the liquid whereby to form a portion of the liquid near the bulb into distinct interconnected sheets.

3. An ornamental illuminating device comprising a hermetically closed hollow pellucid tube, an electric light bulb having a pellucid envelope integrally attached to said bulb and forming the base of said tube, a portion of said bulb extending into said tube to cause the inside of the tube adjacent the base thereof to have an annular shape, a low boiling point liquid within said tube and filling all except the portion of said tube remote from said bulb and bubbling means adjacent the bottom of said annular space, said bubbling means comprising a fissured coherent mass in contact with the liquid and the bulb envelope and providing thin, distinct interconnected zigzag interstitial passageways extending through the mass from said envelope to the liquid whereby to form a portion of the liquid near the bulb into distinct interconnected sheets, the portion of said annular space above said space serving to coalesce the bubbles issuing from said mass into layer bubbles.

4. An ornamental illuminating device comprising an electric light bulb having a pellucid envelope, a hollow hermetically closed pellucid member alongside of said envelope and integral- 1y attached to a portion of said envelope at the side where said member is disposed, said device oing adapted to be arranged with the bulb lowermost and the major portion of the member above the bulb, whereby a common wall forms portion of said envelope and the base of said member, a low boiling point liquid contained within and partially filling said member whereby the upper end of said member is free of the liquid and provides a space above the liquid in which vapor arising from the liquid may condense and return to the body of the liquid, and bubbling means within said member and in contact with said liquid, said bubbling means being disposed in the region of the heat emanating from said bulb.

5. An ornamental illuminating device comprising an electric light bulb having a pellucid envelope, a hollow pellucid hermetically closed elongated member integrally attached at one end thereof to said envelope, said device being adapted to be arranged with the bulb lowermost and the major portion of the member above the bulb, whereby a common wall forms a portion of said envelope and the base of said member, a low boiling point liquid contained within and partiall filling said member whereby the upper end of said member is free of the liquid and provides a space above the liquid in which vapor arising from the liquid may condense and return to the body of the liquid, and bubbling means within said member and in contact with said liquid, said bubbling means being disposed in the region of the heat emanating from said bulb.

6. An ornamental illuminating device comprising an electric light bulb having a pellucid envelope, a hollow pellucid hermetically closed elongated member integrally attached at one end thereof to said envelope, said device being adapted to be arranged with the bulb lowermost and the major portion of the member above the bulb, whereby a common wall forms a portion of said envelope and the base of said member, a low boiling point liquid contained within and partially filling said member whereby the upper end of said member is free of the liquid and provides a space above the liquid in which vapor arising from the liquid may condense and return to the body of the liquid, bubbling means within said member and in contact with said liquid, said bubbling means being disposed in the region of the heat emanating from said bulb, and means to coalesce into larger bubbles the bubbles issuing from said bubbling means.

7. An ornamental illuminating device comprising an electric heating means having an electric heating element within an envelope, a hollow hermetically closed pellucid member alongside of said envelope and integrally attached to a portion of said envelope at the side where said memher is disposed, said device being adapted to be arranged with the envelope lowermost and the major portion of the member above the envelope whereby a common wall forms a portion of said envelope and the base of said member, a low boiling point liquid contained within and partially filling said member whereby the upper end of said member is free of the liquid and provides a space above the liquid in which vapor arising from the liquid may condense and return to the body of the liquid, and bubbling means within said member and in contact with said liquid, said bubbling means being disposed in the region of the heat emanating from said heating means.

8. An ornamental illuminating device compris= ing a light and heat generating means having a pellucid envelope, a hollow pellucid member integrally attached to said envelope in such a manner that a common wall forms a portion of said envelope and the base of said member, a quantity of vaporizable liquid contained within said member, and a bubble generating means positioned Within said member.

9. An ornamental illuminating device comprising a light and heat generating means having a pellucid envelope, a hollow pellucid member integrally attached to said envelope in such a manner that a common wall forms a portion of said envelope and the base of said member, a quantity of vaporizable liquid contained within said member, and a pellucid bubble generating means positioned in said member adjacent said common wall.

CARL W. OTIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 285,784 Bartlett Oct. 2, 1883 326,979 Heiman Sept. 29, 1885 2,174,446 Otis Sept. 26, 1939 2,383,941 Otis Sept. 4, 1945 

